Jane Goodall arrives at the Gombe Stream Reserve in present-day Tanzania to begin her study of chimpanzees in the wild.

Jane Goodall’s groundbreaking study of wild chimpanzees began in July 1960 when she arrived at Gombe Stream National Park on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika in present-day Tanzania. At just 26 years old and without formal university training at the time, Goodall was selected by the renowned anthropologist Louis Leakey to undertake the research. Rather than numbering the chimpanzees, as was common scientific practice, she gave them names such as David Greybeard, Flo and Fifi, believing that each animal possessed a distinct personality. Her patient approach, spending months observing the chimpanzees before they became accustomed to her presence, allowed her to document their natural behaviour in unprecedented detail.

One of Goodall’s most significant discoveries was that chimpanzees make and use tools. She observed David Greybeard stripping leaves from twigs before inserting them into termite mounds to “fish” for termites, which he then ate. At the time, toolmaking was widely regarded as a defining characteristic unique to humans. Goodall’s observations forced scientists to rethink this assumption, prompting Louis Leakey to famously remark that humans would now have to redefine what it means to be human, redefine tools, or accept chimpanzees as humans. Her research also revealed that chimpanzees hunt and eat meat, often working together to capture monkeys, overturning the belief that they were primarily peaceful vegetarians.

As her long-term study continued, Goodall uncovered the complexity of chimpanzee society. She documented intricate family relationships, strong maternal bonds, cooperative alliances, communication through vocalisations and gestures, and emotional behaviours such as affection, grief and reconciliation. She also recorded darker aspects of chimpanzee life, including aggression, territorial conflicts and even organised violence between neighbouring communities during what became known as the Gombe Chimpanzee War in the 1970s. These findings demonstrated that chimpanzees exhibit a broad spectrum of behaviours, many of which closely resemble those seen in humans, providing valuable insights into the evolutionary origins of social behaviour.

Jane Goodall’s research at Gombe has become the world’s longest continuous study of wild chimpanzees and remains one of the most influential wildlife research projects ever undertaken. Her work transformed the scientific understanding of primates and established the importance of long-term field studies in animal behaviour and conservation. Beyond her scientific achievements, Goodall has become a leading advocate for wildlife conservation, environmental protection and animal welfare through the Jane Goodall Institute and its global education programme, Roots & Shoots. Her pioneering observations continue to shape research in primatology, anthropology and behavioural ecology, inspiring generations of scientists and conservationists around the world.